Revealed
by LongLiveTheEmperor
Summary: Cat Noir gets careless one day and discovers Ladybug’s secret identity. He suddenly becomes smitten with Marinette and pursues her. Meanwhile, Hawkmoth discovers he doesn’t have much time left and ups his game, giving our heroes an extreme run for their money. ADRIENETTE AND LADYNOIR PROMINENT!
1. Prologue

**Okay, so I just finished Season 2 and I was hit with a wave of inspiration. Those last two episodes were nuts.**

"Pound it!!"

Ladybug and Cat Noir had just defeated another villain and performed their trademark triumphant fist bump. Ladybug's earrings beeped and she gasped.

"I'd love to stay and chat, Cat Noir, but I gotta go before I transform back. Bug out!!"

She yo-yoed a nearby lamppost and swung away.

Cat Noir sighed, disappointed that he would still have to wait to see his partner's true self. But then, he was hit by a crazy idea.

 _"Follow her. You know you want to._

 _ **"But that would betray her trust."**_

 _"She betrays your trust every day by not revealing who she is. If you know who she is, won't that make her easier to romance?"_

The hero huffed before pole-vaulting over a nearby building just in time to see a bright flash of pink. When the flash disappeared, Cat Noir almost fainted.

Ladybug was... Marinette?!?

Cat Noir knew he had just done something he never should have done, and he was hit with instant regret. He quickly ran across the rooftops and made his way to the Agreste mansion, hopping through his open window and de transforming on his bed.

"What did I just do, Plagg?"

"Sermfern sterperd", the Kwami mumbled over a mouthful of camembert. Adrien raised an eyebrow and looked at the little creature. "What?"

Plagg swallowed his cheese and repeated himself. "Something stupid. You know the number one rule is that the holders should never know each other's true identities."

Adrien rubbed his forehead and leaned back on his pillows. "Yeah, but... I was just overcome with curiosity. This whole time I've been in love with Marinette. I don't know how I didn't see it. They're so similar."

"It's because you're blind, like everyone else in this city", Plagg snarked, "But you got what you wanted, right? Now you're free to pursue your Lady as much as you please."

Adrien nibbled on his lip for a few silent seconds that felt like hours. He stood up looked down at Plagg. "We're going back out."

"Awww man. Can't I finish my cheese?"

"No time. Plagg, claws out!!!"


	2. Chapter 1

Cat Noir made his way across the city and stopped at a Chinese massage/therapy parlor.

 **(I honestly have no idea what Fu does for a living, so just go with it.)**

He made sure the coast was clear before transforming back into his normal self and walking inside. Master Fu was sitting crisscross on his mat, facing the wall and talking.

"And you're certain he saw you?"

"Yes, Master", a little girly voice squeaked out, "He looked right at us but Marinette didn't see him."

Adrien stepped into the room and cleared his throat. "Master Fu?"

The elderly gentleman turned around, a look of confusion on his face. "Is there something you want to tell me, Mr. Agreste?"

The model rubbed his arm and chuckled nervously. "Yeah. I... I kinda... I saw who Ladybug really is. I know I made a mistake and I'm seriously regretting it hard. Just please don't be mad."

Fu gestured for Adrien to sit, which he did. "I'm not mad. If you wanted to know who Ladybug was, you should've just asked."

 ***insert side-by-side shot of Plagg, Tikki, and Adrien screaming "WHAT?!?!?" in unison here***

"I've been thinking about how you and Ladybug would be a much better team if you knew each other's true identities. I figured my worries about putting your loved ones in danger were irrelevant since everyone is in danger whenever Hawkmoth is on the offensive."

Adrien was bewildered. After picking his brain up from the floor, he cleared his throat. "So... so I came all this way to apologize for nothing?"

"It appears that way, my boy", Fu said with a laugh.

Suddenly, a little red Kwami flew in front of

Adrien and held out her little nubby arm. "I'm Tikki, Lad- I mean -Marinette's Kwami. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Adrien smiled before "shaking" Tikki's hand.

"I guess this means I should tell Marinette who I really am. It's like a pleasant dream and a night terror all rolled into one."

Everybody laughed before Fu stood up and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "You needn't worry, Adrien. You have everything that it takes. Now I suggest you get yourself home before you're missed."

Adrien stood up and left, Plagg staying behind for a few seconds to whisper something to Tikki.

"I'll see you later, sugarcube", he said cheekily before flying away at top speed. Tikki's bulbous eyes went wide and she threw her half-eaten macaron at him. "Don't call me that!!!"

The next day, Adrien walked into class and saw that Marinette was late, as per usual. He walked over and waited for Alya to wrap up her conversation with Nino before asking her if they could swap seats for the day.

"Adrien Agreste, what are you planning?", the blogger inquired curiously.

"I'm not planning anything. I just wanna sit next to Marinette. I figured you'd jump at the chance to sit beside Nino."

She straightened her glasses and picked up her bags. "Just know something, Agreste. If you lead Marinette on or do anything to break her heart, I'll have my older sister bend you into a human pretzel."

"Don't worry. That's not my intention."

Once they had traded seats, Marinette rushed into the room panting heavily. She quickly took her seat without looking to see who was beside her. Mrs. Bustier walked in and greeted the class.

"Good morning, everyone."

"Good morning, Mrs. Bustier."

Marinette froze when she heard Adrien's voice coming from her left instead of from behind her. She slowly turned and fell out of her seat when she saw him, earning a symphony of laughter from their classmates.

"Adrien!! You there are what doing?!? I mean, what are you doing there?!?"

He smiled and helped her up. "Just felt like a change of scenery would be nice. You don't mind, do you?"

"N-no, not at all. I think you're handsome. I MEAN, I think it's awesome!!!"

Alya and Nino were practically falling on top of each other, the former using her boyfriend's back as an arm rest while they were both crying from muffled laughter.

The rest of the school day went by rather uneventfully, with no akuma attacks for once. When the final bell rang, Adrien stood on the curb waiting for Gorilla to pick him up. He saw Marinette walking away and got another idea, running after her.

"Marinette!!"

She stopped and turned around, almost being tackled. Adrien stopped himself before he pummeled her and planted like a dog.

"I've *pant* got a photoshoot *pant* this afternoon. I was *pant* wondering if you wanted to *pant* come watch."

Marinette nearly jumped out of her skin. "YES!!!"

Her enthusiasm surprised Adrien, but he just smiled and said "Great. Look, there's my driver. Let's go."

He grabbed her by the arm and whisked her away into the car.


	3. Chapter 2

When they arrived at the park, Adrien saw his father talking to the photographer. He and Marinette sat down on a bench and waited.

"What do you think they're talking about?", the raven-haired girl asked as she twiddled her thumbs.

Adrien shrugged and rolled his eyes. "My dad's probably wringing the poor guy's neck for his 'ineptitude.' Some times I wonder if Chloe and I accidentally switched fathers."

Marinette couldn't help but giggle at that statement. "Somehow I think that would be even worse."

They shared a good laugh before a stern voice spoke up.

"Adrien."

The two teens looked to see Gabriel Agreste walking towards them. "I trust you're prepared for the shoot?"

"Yes, Father. Like always. I brought a friend from school to watch me... if that's okay with you."

Gabriel merely stared at his son for a few silent seconds. His lip twitched, forming a smile.

An actual smile.

"I don't see any harm in it. Your dressing tent has been prepared."

When Adrien left to get changed, Gabriel sat down beside Marinette and saw that she was calmly doodling in her sketchbook. Well, she was calm on the _outside_. On the _inside_ , she was freaking out.

 _OMG!!! GABRIEL AGRESTE IS LOOKING AT MY DESIGNS!!!_

"That's some impressive work, Mme. Dupain-Cheng. The line work, the attention to detail, it's exquisite."

"Oh. Um... thank you, Mr. Agreste. It's really nothing special."

"I don't suppose you could do some more designs for Adrien, could you?"

Marinette's pupils dilated to the size of pinholes. Her idol, _the_ Gabriel Agreste, was asking her to design for Adrien. She didn't speak, because she was afraid she'd turn into a bumbling mess. The silence was broken by Gabriel suddenly coughing into his hand. When he looked, he saw that there were drops of blood. Luckily, Marinette didn't see.

"Excuse me, Marinette. I must go. Inform Adrien that I will be at home when the shoot is over."

The designer quickly stood up and walked to his car, leaving Marinette alone until Adrien came out dressed in a silky white suit.

"Hey. Where'd my dad go?"

"I guess he had another appointment or something. I'm sure he must be really busy."

Adrien shrugged. "Whatever. I'm used to him not being there for me. But this isn't about him. Come on."

He took her hand once again and let her sit closer to the fountain, which was the main backdrop.

 ***Hawkmoth emblem scene transition***

Gabriel looked at the paper in his hands and read it dreadfully. After coughing up blood, he went straight to the hospital and got examined. The results weren't pleasant.

Lung cancer.

"How could I have let this happen, Nooroo?"

The moth Kwami shook his head solemnly. "Nature isn't something one can hope to control, Master. You have my deepest condolences."

"I need not your sympathy. I need to double my efforts to get Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculous. Then, I can cure myself and bring my wife back!!

Nooroo, Darkwings rise!!!"

 ***Cat Noir emblem scene transition***

Adrien took several photos posing in front of the fountain, but the photographer wasn't pleased.

 **(My apologies to any Italian readers who come across this. I know you guys don't really sound like this, but I'm writing this guy's dialogue for the purpose of comedy. Also, I don't know what the photographer's name is, so I'm just gonna make something up.)**

"Mama Mia, dis is a-ridiculous!! How can I have-a de best model in-a de finest city at-a de best-a time of-a day but still not feel-a de happy?! Dis is-a preposterous!!"

Giuseppe almost threw down his camera in frustration when he looked at Marinette.

"Eureka!! Young lady, you must-a be in-a de pictures with Adrien!! It will-a bring out all-a de happy!!"

Marinette's face turned beet red. "M-Me? Modeling with Adrien?! No no, I couldn't!! Well, I mean..."

"Marinette, you don't have to", Adrien reassured her, "I can make this work on my own."

As much as he wanted to be close to Marinette, he didn't want her to be uncomfortable.

"No no!! I'll do it!!", she shouted as she bolted over to Adrien's side, "Wait, what am I doing?"

Giuseppe created an imaginary frame with his fingers. "Adrien, you put-a your arm around-a de lovely lady and stare longingly into her eyes like-a you're in love!!"

Luckily, they were, even if they didn't know it. Adrien looked to Marinette for approval and she nodded. He then put his arm around her waist and caressed her face with the other one. He could feel her skin heat up at his touch.

"Mari... I've been thinking...", he whispered as Giuseppe began snapping pictures with machine-gun speed.

"About w-what, Adrien?"

"Us."

"Is th-there an u-us?"

"If there isn't, I think there should be. Marinette, I'm..."

Just before he could tell her the truth, the park rumbled with an explosion from elsewhere in the city.


	4. Chapter 3

"I... I've gotta go, Adrien. You get somewhere safe!!", Marinette exclaimed before running off.

"Marinette, wait!!"

She was already gone.

Giuseppe was cowering in fear inside the dressing tent, leaving Adrien alone. Plagg poked his head out and looked up at his holder.

"Why are you worried? You know she's Ladybug, right?"

"Yeah, but I was gonna tell her that I'm Cat Noir."

"You'll just have to save it for later, big guy. That explosion sounded pretty serious."

"You're right. Plagg, claws out!!"

 ***Ladybug emblem scene transition***

Ladybug landed on top of a building to see the villain-of-the -day traipsing about the city. His head was a giant television with a red jack-o-lantern-esque face on its black screen. Cat Noir dropped in beside her and examined the threat.

"Nice of you to show up, kitty."

"Yeah... I got stuck in traffic."

The lack of the usual enthusiasm in her partner's voice made Ladybug slightly worried, but there was no time to ask him about it.

"The akuma has to be in his remote."

Just as she said that, the villain saw them.

"What do we have here? New contestants!! Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to play FIND THAT MIRACULOUS!!! Looks like I just won a braaaand neeew caaaar!!!"

He used his remote to levitate a car and throw it at the heroes, an attack that they quickly dodged by jumping down behind the building.

"What's the plan, M'lady?", Cat Noir asked.

"I'm thinking, I'm thinking. Lucky Charm!!"

Her special power created a giant rubber band, leaving both heroes confused.

"Well this certainly seems like a bit of a stretch, bugaboo."

Ladybug looked around and highlighted various things she could use. Two lampposts, Cat Noir, and the band itself.

"Aha!! I've got it!! You don't mind being slingshot ammo, do you, Cat Noir?"

He twirled his baton and smirked. "Anything for the mission, M'lady."

They tied the band between the lampposts and Cat Noir stood in the middle, pushing back on it with all of his weight. Luckily, the villain was distracted with a group of fleeing pedestrians.

"Ready... NOW!!!", Ladybug exclaimed.

Cat Noir picked up his feet and the band sprung out, launching him forward. When he flew past the villain, he swung his baton and broke the remote in two.

 ***insert standard akuma purification sequence here***

Once the akuma had been purified and set free, all of the damage was repaired.

"Nice work, Cat Noir."

"All thanks to your brilliant strategy, M'lady."

Hawkmoth stabbed the floor with his walking stick.

"NO!!! You may have foiled me again, Ladybug, but it will only be a matter of time before I have your Miraculous!!"

When his window closed, the villain detransformed and collapsed onto one knee.

"Master, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Nooroo. A little winded, is all."

The Kwami looked genuinely concerned for Gabriel's health, despite being subjugated to what was, in essence, slavery. "You should seek medical help, Master. This is not the way to solve your problem."

Gabriel stood up and snarled. "You dare try and lecture me on what is best?! You forget your place, you pathetic creature!! You serve me and you do as I command!!"

Nooroo sighed. "Yes, Master."

 ***Cat Noir emblem scene transition***

Adrien ran back to the park and found Marinette waiting.

"Hey. Are you okay?", she asked him. His suit was soaked with sweat.

"Yeah, Mari. I'm fine. I'm just glad you're safe."

Giuseppe crawled out of the tent, blubbering like a baby. "Is-a de danger over?"

Both teens laughed before Adrien helped the photographer off of the ground. "Yeah, Giuseppe. It's safe."

"Ah. Very good. I already got-a de perfect photo, so I guess-a de shoot is over."

Since the Gorilla was nowhere to be found, Adrien walked Marinette home after he changed back into his normal outfit. They stopped outside the door and Marinette blushed.

"Th-thanks for inviting me to the shoot, Adrien. It was nice to join in."

"You're welcome, Mari. Anytime you want, I'd be glad to do more modeling with you."

He kissed her forehead and bade her goodbye before walking away.

"Uh, duuuude, you forgot to tell her that you're Cat Noir again", Plagg scolded.

"It's not the right time, Plagg. I'll tell her soon enough, but not now."

 ***jump-cut to Marinette's room***

"Did that really just happen, Tikki?"

"What do you mean, Marinette?"

"Did I just... have a date with Adrien?"

The Kwami giggled and munched a cookie. "Well that depends on your definition of a 'date.' I think it was just a lucky turn of events for you."

Marinette nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But he... he kissed me."

"So? You kissed him on the cheek a few weeks ago."

"Oh... yeah... I forgot about that. Well, maybe I shouldn't worry."

Tikki kissed the girl's nose and giggled. "That a girl, Marinette."


	5. Chapter 4

Friday morning.

Adrien woke up and did his usual routine, Plagg whooshing into his vest's inside pocket.

"You're heading out awful early, big guy."

"I was gonna stop by Marinette's bakery and grab something to eat. Maybe even offer her a ride to school."

Plagg chuckled as he scarfed down a glob of smelly cheese. "She literally lives less than a block away from school. You're a dork."

Adrien walked into the mansion's main foyer and saw his father at the top of the stairs. "You're getting out the door rather early, Adrien."

"Yes, Father. I was hoping I could stop and give a friend a ride."

"Do I know this friend?"

"It's Marinette, Father. I shouldn't have to keep explaining who she is."

Gabriel nodded. "You're right, you shouldn't. I think that would be fine."

The designer snapped his fingers and the Gorilla seemingly appeared out of nowhere, going outside and starting the car. Adrien followed close behind him, but not before he noticed his father's bloodshot eyes.

"Off to Marinette's", he spoke to himself.

Speaking of Marinette, she woke up earlier than usual and actually had time to get ready. As she was redoing her pigtails, the girl heard her mother's voice from downstairs.

"Marinette!! A friend is here!!"

"Hmm. That's weird. Alya never stops by right before school", Marinette murmured to herself, "What do you think, Tikki?"

The Kwami shrugged, giving no answer.

After she looked presentable, Marinette made her way down to the bakery and almost passed out when she saw her mother handing a to-go bag to _ADRIEN?!?!?!_

He looked at her and smiled. "Morning, Marinette."

"M-m-m-morning."

Sabine giggled and said, "I'll leave you two alone", before going into the kitchen. Once she was gone, Adrien walked up to Marinette and opened the bag, pulling out two croissants.

"Hungry? I mean, I know you probably eat your mother's croissants every day, but..."

"Oh!! Thank you!!", Marinette shouted to drown out the sound of her heart pounding in her ears. Adrien laughed as she took the pastry and practically inhaled it.

 _Kinda reminds me of Plagg_ , he jokingly thought to himself. "So, ya wanna catch a ride to school? My driver's right outside."

Marinette swallowed the croissant and nodded. "S-sure."

 ***Cat Noir emblem scene transition***

"So dude, are you gonna ask Marinette to the End-of-the-Year dance?", Nino asked before downing a swig of Perrier.

 **(I've tried that stuff. And for anyone who's curious, just imagine the fizzyness of Sprite, but in water. It tastes like dirty dishes. Don't recommend it.)**

Adrien swallowed a bite of his sandwich and nodded. "Yeah. You're taking Alya?"

"Dude, obviously. We've been looking forward to it for months. We've also been waiting for you and Marinette to finally hook up."

"Really?"

The DJ nodded. "Yeah. The whole class, except for Chloe, has been betting on how long it would take. I've got 20 Euro on less than a year."

 ***Ladybug emblem scene transition***

Alya twirled her pencil between her fingers and lightly nibbled on the eraser.

"So what're you gonna do when Adrien asks you to the dance?", she asked Marinette. They were eating lunch in the bakery, while also taking some time to catch up on homework.

Marinette almost choked on her sandwich, earning a giggle from Alya.

"He's not gonna ask me. There are so many other girls he could go with."

"Girl, are you serious?! Have these last two days said nothing to you?! That boy is after your heart!! You have to go with him!! Ask him first if you have to!! What about all your plans to have eight kids and a hamster?!?", the blogger exclaimed. The sudden outburst scared Marinette to the point of falling out of her chair.

"Okay, okay!! It's not like I wouldn't say yes if he asked me!!"

She stood up and dusted herself off, putting her dirty dishes away. "I just don't understand what changed. Adrien's never seemed to be this interested in me before."

"Maybe he finally opened his eyes", Alya responded as she packed her backpack, "And it's about time. Nino and I have money on you guys hooking up before the end of the year."

"So you want me to get together with the love of my life just so you can win a bet? That's horrible, Alya."

"Girl, the bet isn't what's important. You and Adrien are. The money's just an added bonus", the blogger said with a wink.

 **(Oh boy. Another plot line. First we have Adrien discovering Ladybug's secret identity, then Hawkmoth finds out he has lung cancer, and now there's a school dance. Hopefully my dumb brain doesn't get these threads tangled like in every single movie Michael Bay's ever directed. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this new chapter!! Update soon!!)**


	6. Chapter 5

Cat Noir made it to the top of the Eiffel Tower and waited. He was rapidly tapping his foot with anticipation, and he nearly squealed when he heard Ladybug land gracefully behind him.

"Evening, Kitty."

"Evening, M'lady. You're looking lovely tonight."

She giggled and leaned against the rail beside him. "Listen, Cat Noir. Before we head out, I need advice. So I've told you about this guy I like."

"Yeah?", Cat Noir said. He already knew where this was going, but he played the fool and listened intently.

Ladybug bit her lip. "Well, he's never really shown any interest in me, until a couple of days ago. I'm just confused. What if he's just playing some cruel joke on me?"

"I don't think he is."

"How do you know, Cat Noir?"

"Because he's..."

His sentence was cut off by what sounded like a gunshot. He saw Ladybug lurch slightly, and then he saw dark red blood seeping through the abdomen of her costume.

"Ladybug!!"

"C-Cat..."

She fell forward, and he caught her. Cat Noir tried applying pressure to the wound, but it was no use. Ladybug reached up and touched his cheek, smearing it with her blood.

"Why... Cat Noir... why couldn't you save me?"

"Don't talk like that!! You're gonna be okay!! Please, M'lady, stay with me!!"

Despite his pleas, Ladybug went limp in his arms, her lifeless gaze staring off at nothing.

Suddenly, there was the sound of evil laughter. It sounded like the voice of the devil himself. A man stepped from the shadows of the tower's elevator into the light.

It was Hawkmoth. In his hand was an old-fashioned Luger pistol, its barrel smoking.

"Looks like I finally swatted that atrocious bug. Now all that's left to do is for me to put down a rabid cat."

Cat Noir gently put down Ladybug's body and activated his baton.

"You'll pay for that."

He charged at Hawkmoth just as the villain fired another shot.

 ***white screen***

"NO!!!!!", Adrien screamed as he shot up in bed. He quickly checked his body for bullet holes and thankfully found nothing.

It had all been a terrible nightmare.

"Ugh, why did you have to be so loud with your teenage angst, Adrien?!?", Plagg moaned as he flew out from under the covers.

The boy wiped his forehead -he was sweating bullets- and looked down at his Kwami. "S-Sorry, Plagg. Had a bad dream, is all."

He checked the time on his phone. 23:45

"I have to know she's okay."

Alya had given him Marinette's number earlier in the year, when she recruited him to translate her uncle's Chinese. The model typed up a quick message and sent it, hoping to get a quick response.

Marinette woke up to the familiar buzzing of her phone. Checking the screen, she raised an eyebrow.

 **Unknown Number: Hey, Mari. I'm sorry to text so late, but I have to know if you're okay."**

She typed up a response.

 **Marinette: Who is this?**

 **Unknown Number: Oh. Sorry. It's Adrien. Probably should've led with that.**

Marinette almost screamed, slapping her hand over her mouth so she wouldn't wake up Tikki or her parents.

 **Marinette: Well then, I'm okay. Why do you ask?**

 **Adrien: I had a nightmare. You were in it. It didn't end well.**

 **Marinette: Oh no :(. I'm sorry.**

 **Adrien: It's no big deal. Well, I guess I'll leave you alone. Sorry again if I woke you. Goodnight.**

 **Marinette: WAIT!!!**

 **Adrien: Yeah?**

The baker's daughter nibbled her lip, wondering if she should ask him what she wanted to ask him, but then she remembered what Kagami said at the ice rink.

 _"The only reason you can't stand on your feet is your hesitation."_

Marinette decided not to hesitate. Her fingers moved so fast they were almost smoking.

 **Marinette: Do you like me? Like "like me" like me?**

 **Adrien: ••• ••• ••• Yes.**

It was at that moment that Marinette laid down and died, finally complete.

THE END

 ***black screen***

You're still here?

What? You don't believe that's how it ends?

Fine!!! I'll continue the story!!!

 ***cut back to Marinette***

Marinette had to slap herself back into reality after Adrien replied. On the inside, she was screaming her head off.

 _He likes me!!! He likes me!!! OMG OMG OMG!!!!_

 **Marinette: Really? What changed?**

 **Adrien: What do you mean?**

 **Marinette: You've never seemed to show any reciprocation of my interest in you.**

 **Adrien: I never noticed it before. I had been... focusing my mind elsewhere. I only recently saw you for who you really are. Marinette... I really like you.**

"EEK!!!!"

Marinette could contain her screams no longer. Her elated shriek startled Tikki from her slumber.

"GAH!!! Marinette!! What happened?!?", the Kwami whispered urgently.

"He likes me, Tikki!! Here, see for yourself!!", the human replied.

Tikki read the text messages and smiled. "That's wonderful, Marinette!! I'm happy for you!!"

 _Now all that's left is for him to reveal his identity_ , the Kwami thought to herself, _And he sure is taking a while._


	7. Chapter 6

"I must come up with a new strategy, Nooroo", Gabriel groaned as he flipped through the pages of the Miraculous Grimoire. "If I'm ever going to have Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculous, I'll have to catch them off guard."

The moth Kwami said nothing, merely hoping that something would change his master's mind.

Gabriel suddenly coughed, spattering the page with blood.

"Ugh. Well that's not coming out anytime soon."

At that moment, Nathalie walked in, the look of concern on her face saying more than words. That didn't stop her from speaking.

"Mr. Agreste, you really must seek proper medical attention."

She walked over to his desk and put a hand on his shoulder. "This fruitless venture will only prolong your pain."

Gabriel slammed the book shut and stood up to face his secretary. "Don't try and tell me what's best for my health, Nathalie!! I've worked to hard to give up now when I'm so close!!"

"What if you just die, Gabriel?! It will all have been for nothing!!"

"My wife needs me!!!"

"Your wife is dead and gone, Gabriel!! If you haven't realized that yet, I don't know what to tell you!!"

After that last outburst, there was a moment of silence. Gabriel clenched his fists so tightly that they turned white before calmly sitting back at his desk.

"Nathalie... I'm sorry. I just... I can't bear the thought of leaving Adrien an orphan. I thought this would be my only chance to make him happy."

The woman straightened her glasses and took the seat across from him. "You still have some time, Gabriel. With the right medical treatments, you might pull through."

"And if I don't?"

"Then use what time you have left to be a real father. Spend time with your son. Loosen some of your restrictions."

Gabriel sighed and rubbed his forehead. "You're right, Nathalie. I'll go to the hospital right now. Speaking of Adrien, where is he?"

"He left earlier. Said he was going to meet a friend."

And that he was. After declaring his affections for Marinette via text message just before midnight, he had offered to take her for a day on the town. They were going to meet in the park, then just walk around Paris until dark. That was when Adrien planned to reveal his secrets.

"I'm nervous, Plagg", he whispered.

"Why?"

"What if Marinette gets mad at me for finding out her secret identity? She might never want to see me again."

"You're worrying too much, big guy. Marinette's head-over-heels for you, and she's really understanding. I'm sure a good explanation will have all of this as water under the bridge. Just don't stumble over your words so everything makes sense."

Adrien smiled and patted his Kwami's head. "Thanks, Plagg."

Marinette arrived at the park and smiled when she saw Adrien. She had spent the night praying to every single diety she could think of, begging them to give her the confidence to not screw things up with the love of her life. His affectionate smile sent all her worries swirling down the drain.

"Hey."

"Hey, Mari. You look nice today."

"Thanks. So where are we going first?"

The model stood up and offered her his hand, which she took. "I figured we could just see the sights."

Marinette giggled as they started walking. "We see the sights every day. We live here."

"But that's not 'seeing' the sights. You have to stop and admire them to make it special."

"Alright. Let's do it."

 ***Hawkmoth emblem scene transition***

"I'm sorry, Emilie. Everything I've done, I've done it for you... but I can't begin to imagine what you'd think of me if you were here."

Gabriel laid a fresh bouquet of flowers in front of his wife's glass coffin. "I don't have much time left, so I'm going to make it special. For you... for Adrien."

He ran his fingers along the glass where her face was and kissed it gently.

"My villain days are over."

He removed his brooch and held it up. "Nooroo, I'm so sorry for how poorly I've treated you. No longer. I'm going to find the Guardian and return you."

"Really, Master?!", the Kwami asked excitedly.

"Yes", the fashion designer replied with a smile, "Return to your jewel."

The Kwami disappeared, and Gabriel put the Miraculous in an ornate box. He looked at his wife's beautiful face one last time before leaving his lair behind.

Forever.


	8. Chapter 7

Paris lit up at dusk and Adrien knew the time was right. He brought Marinette to the top of the Eiffel Tower and they stared out over the city.

"It's beautiful", she said wistfully.

Adrien's lip twitched slightly. "Yeah."

Neither of them spoke for a few minutes, each of them racing through their own thoughts at top speed.

 _Adrien: Just tell her. You love her, and you know she's Ladybug. Even if she gets mad, at least you'll have a clear conscience._

 _Marinette: Something doesn't feel right. He's been on edge all day._

Adrien finally turned to face the raven-haired baker's daughter and grabbed both of her hands. "Marinette... I have to tell you something."

"W-What is it?"

"I... I know who you are. Who you _really_ are."

Her eyes went wide.

 _What does he know?_

"I saw something I wasn't supposed to see, and I've been beating myself up about it non-stop. Marinette... I know you're Ladybug."

"What?! Me, no!!! You must've hit your head or something because I am definitely not Ladybug!!", she blurted out rapidly.

Adrien put his hand on her face and looked into her eyes. "M'lady, there's no point in denying it. I saw it with my own eyes."

Marinette was about to say something else, but his words registered in her mind.

 _'M'lady'?_

 _Is he... ?_

"Adrien... why did you call me that?"

He let go of her hands and stepped back.

"Plagg, claws out!!!"

Marinette shielded her eyes from the bright green light, her brain still struggling to wrap itself around her current situation. When the light faded, she saw none other than Cat Noir standing where Adrien had been mere seconds ago.

"Believe me now, bugaboo?"

"Y-you?!? The whole time... it was you?!? I kissed you!!! I... I think I'm about to..."

Her sentence trailed off as she fainted, Cat Noir rushing to catch her.

 ***Hawkmoth emblem scene transition***

Gabriel walked down the streets, looking for any home or business that seemed particularly _mystical_. He narrowed down the Guardian's location to the western bank of the Seine, but that was about it. He looked and looked until he saw a shop window adorned with Chinese writing.

"Fu's Massage and Therapy", it translated.

 **(Again, I'm just making educated guesses here. Don't judge me.)**

The man stepped inside and was greeted by a stout Asian fellow with a walking stick -presumably Fu.

"Good evening. Can I help you?", he asked in a friendly voice.

Gabriel dug around in his jacket and pulled out the box containing the two Miraculous.

"I'm sorry to come in so late, sir. I was wondering if you recognized these jewels."

He opened the box and part of him was satisfied when he saw the old man's face change from normal to shocked.

"You... Hawkmoth!!"

Fu raised his cane like a sword and took up a defensive stance, scaring Gabriel a little bit.

"Wait!! Wait!! I come with good intentions. I'm giving up on my evil ways and returning these!! Please... take the word of a dying man."

"Dying man? Don't try to trick me, Hawkmoth!! For all I know you could be here to take the other Miraculous for yourself!!"

"I swear to you, I'm telling the truth!!"

Fu only lowered his guard when Gabriel burst into a barrage of dry coughs.

"I... I was Hawkmoth. Not anymore. For my son's sake, I'm never harming another person", the designer rasped when he could breathe again.

The elderly Chinese gentleman walked forward and cautiously took the box from Gabriel. He went into the back room to retrieve two of his own boxes, closing and opening them to make sure they were real.

"Master Fu!!", Nooroo shouted.

"It's been a long time, Nooroo."

The other Miraculous, that of the Peafowl, wasn't responding properly. Fu opened and closed the box, but the Kwami never awakened.

"It's damaged", Gabriel interjected, "It... it belonged to my wife. Something happened when she died. I've tried to activate it several times but have had no luck."

Fu looked concerned. "I have to fix this quickly. I must prepare a potion. Let's get you back to the Miracle Box, Nooroo."

The Kwami nodded before flying up to his former maniacal master. "I hope everything turns out okay for you, Gabriel. Good luck."

"Thank you, Nooroo. I'm sorry again for everything I put you through. I hope there's no hard feelings?"

"None whatsoever."

 ***Ladybug emblem scene transition***

"Mari? Mari, wake up."

Marinette's eyes opened to a blurry image of Adrien's face. She giggled deliriously like she was high on laughing gas.

"I just had the craziest dream. You told me you were Cat Noir."

"Marinette, that wasn't a dream."

She froze. "Oh...

OH...

SO YOU BROKE THE NUMBER ONE RULE!!!"

Adrien was shocked by her sudden outburst. He had to take five steps back when she stood up, glaring daggers at him.

"I know, I know!! I made a mistake!!"

"A mistake?!? You potentially put all of our friends and loved ones in danger!!! I can't believe you!!!"

Plagg popped his head out of Adrien's jacket and chuckled. "If that's the only thing she's mad about, then this night's gonna turn out great!!"

"NOT A GOOD TIME, PLAGG!!!", Adrien and Marinette shouted in unison. They looked at each other and shared a quiet laugh.

"So you've met?", the model asked as he gestured back and forth between his Kwami and Marinette.

"Yup. Had to help her defeat Style Queen while you were doing a Han Solo impression. I must say your performance was golden", Plagg teased.

 **(I'm still a lifelong Star Wars nerd at the end of the day.)**

Marinette sighed and sat down, leaning against the wall of the elevator. Adrien sat down beside her.

"So you must be pretty disappointed, huh?"

Adrien raises an eyebrow. "Disappointed in what?"

"Me. You probably weren't expecting your ultimate hero Ladybug to be some shy stuttering girl who helps her parents make pastries every day."

"I'm not disappointed, Marinette. Remember what I told you on Heroes Day? About you being our everyday Ladybug? Turns out I was even more right than I thought. You _are_ Ladybug, mask or no mask, powers or no powers. I didn't just fall in love with Ladybug... I fell in love with you."

Marinette laughed and stared into his green eyes. "Are you sure?"

"More than anything else I've ever been sure of."

 _Hesitation_.

"Then kiss me", the blunette suddenly blurted as her confidence levels skyrocketed.

Adrien blushed. "M-Marinette... I... I mean..."

She rolled her eyes and grabbed his face. "Forget it."

And their lips met.


	9. Chapter 8

_Strawberries._

 _Her lips taste like strawberries._

That was one of the two thoughts going through Adrien's head after Marinette captured him in a kiss. The second one came after he put his hand on the back of her head to deepen the embrace.

 _I love her._

When they separated, both teens were beet red. Marinette brushed some hair out of her face and smiled. "I... I guess I kinda caught you off guard, huh?"

"You certainly did, M'lady."

They left the Eiffel Tower and went back to Marinette's place. Here they were again, outside the bakery. Adrien leaned down and pecked her lips before hugging her tightly.

"Marinette... Ladybug..."

"Adrien... Cat Noir..."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

They separated and Marinette went inside, Adrien **(and the author)** suddenly remembering something else. He knew the door wasn't yet locked, so he practically punched it open and scared Marinette half to death.

"GAH!! What's wrong?!?", the girl panted as she had to pick herself up from the floor.

"Will you... go to the end-of-the-year dance with me? I forgot to ask earlier."

Marinette smiled and reached forward to ruffle his hair. "Of course I will. Now you get yourself home."

Adrien smiled and kissed his Lady again before bolting our the door. Marinette sighed happily and went up the stairs, unaware that her parents had been hiding in the dark with a video camera capturing the entire conversation. She climbed up to her rooftop patio and looked out over Paris's nighttime cityscape again.

"I can't believe it happened, Tikki."

"I can. Master Fu knew you two were perfect for each other, both as heroes and as your normal selves", the Kwami responded as she gobbled a cookie.

"That boy sure is Miraculous."

 ***Cat Noir emblem scene transition***

Adrien walked inside to find his father standing at the top of the stairs, as he so often did.

"I presume you had a pleasant day, Adrien?"

"Yes, Father. I'll be going to my room now."

Gabriel saw his son walking away and held up a commanding fist. "Wait." The blonde model stopped and looked up at his father, his eyebrows asking so many questions that even Steven Hawking couldn't answer them all.

"I would like to talk to you in my study before you turn in for the night, son. It's important."

Adrien nodded and followed his father into the study, sitting down and obediently folding his hands in his lap. Gabriel took the sea across from him and let out a long exhale. What he said next made Adrien's heart drop.

"Son... I have lung cancer."

 ***silence***

"W-What?"

"I coughed up blood at your photoshoot the other day and went to the hospital. The exam revealed the truth."

He handed Adrien the test results and the boy almost had a heart attack. First his mother had disappeared and now his father didn't have much time left.

"What are you gonna do?"

"I went back today and paid for chemotherapy treatments. My first one is in 3 days. There's a chance it could help me through."

Adrien gulped. "And if it doesn't?"

"I've already drafted my will. Should worse come to worse, I've made the proper arrangements for Nathalie to become your legal guardian. But for now, I'm going to spend as much time with you as possible. That also means less restrictions on your free time. Chinese lessons are cancelled until further notice."

"Father, you really don't have to."

"No, son. I do. I've put you under so much pressure and you deserve a break."

The boy got up and practically ran around the desk to hug his father, the both of them starting to cry.

"I don't wanna lose you, Father. It was hard enough to be without Mom for all these years."

"I know, son. But that's the way of things. No matter how hard we try, we can never hope to control nature."

After holding their familial embrace, the Agreste men broke their hug and wiped up their respective tears. "Rats, I got salt-water in my good suit", Gabriel joked. They both laughed before Adrien yawned.

"I guess I'd better hit the hay. I'll see you in the morning, Father."

"Goodnight, son. Oh!! One more thing!!"

"Hmm?"

"I'm allowing you to date."

Adrien raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know I was forbidden from dating."

"You were going to be, but I had a change of heart. You're a responsible young man, now."

The model walked to his room and laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Plagg noticed his bland expression, so he sat on the human's chest.

"What's on your mind, big guy?"

"I don't know, Plagg. Marinette loves me and my father's being less strict on me, so I wanna be happy. But I also wanna be sad because my father has cancer. What should I do?"

"Human emotion is far too complex for my one-track mind to understand", the Kwami answered.

"You do know you just dissed yourself, right?"

"There is nothing self-depracating about loving cheese and only cheese, Adrien!!!"

Plagg shot into the garbage can like a rocket and dug into his stash of camembert, leaving Adrien alone to his thoughts. He eventually grabbed his phone and sent his Lady a message.

 **Adrien: Je t'aime, Bugaboo.**

 **Marinette: Je t'aime, Kitty. *kissy face emoji***


	10. Chapter 9

Adrien stared at himself in the mirror, straightening his lime-green necktie. He felt even more formal than he did whenever he modeled.

Plagg sat on his shoulder and scarfed down a wheel of Camembert. "Lookin' good, big guy."

"Thanks, Plagg."

 ***Ladybug emblem scene transition***

"You look great, Marinette!!", Tikki exclaimed as she flew around her owner, "Adrien's going to be speechless."

The girl was wearing a red dress with black trim and polka-dots.

 **(Why? Because this fandom has sucked me in so much I have become a walking encyclopedia of Miraculous fanfiction clichés.)**

"Thanks, Tikki."

There was the sound of a car horn from outside, so Marinette grabbed her purse and ran downstairs. She kissed her parents goodbye and opened the door to see Adrien leaning against his driver's car.

"You look... stunning", was all he could say.

"I could say the same for you, handsome."

He kissed her forehead and they climbed inside. A few seconds later, they were in the school's courtyard.

Alya and Nino were hanging out by the DJ table, and the blogger saw Adrien and Marinette walking in through the doors. She walked up to the microphone and began speaking to the crowd.

"Students of Françoise Duponte High, I have wonderful news!! If you will direct your attention to the doorway, you will see our very own Adrien Agreste and Marinette Dupain-Cheng, arms locked!! Give them a round of applause!!"

Everyone -except Chloe- clapped and cheered for the new couple. Adrien and Marinette wove their through a sea of congratulations and pats on the back to the DJ table, where Nino was collecting money from all of their friends.

"You were serious about the bet?", the model asked his best friend.

Nino straightened his glasses and chuckled like a rich snob. "Dead serious, dude. You and Marinette just earned us practically enough money to buy a house."

Everyone laughed before Alya gave the couple a double hug. "You guys look awesome. Digging the Ladybug and Cat Noir theme.

Adrien and Marinette looked at each other, the amused look in their eyes saying the same thing.

 _She has no idea._

The four friends spent most of the night just talking, discussing how they would spend their summers. It was here that Adrien delivered the bad news about his father.

"Dude, that's a bummer. Sorry."

"It's okay. He's getting treatments. Whatever happens happens."

Marinette squeezed her boyfriend's hand tightly. "We're here for you, Adrien."

"Anything you need, you know who to call", Alya added.

"Thanks, guys. I love you all."

The time came for the last dance of the night. Nino put on a slow song and pulled Alya onto the dance floor. Adrien had a different idea, so he brought Marinette outside and they hid in an alley.

"What's wrong, Adrien?"

"Nothing, bugaboo. Just figured we could make the end of the night interesting. Plagg, claws out!!"

Marinette smirked when she figured out what he had in mind. "Tikki, spots on!!"

Back inside, Alya looked around but saw no sign of their friends. "Where did they run off to?"

"It's Ladybug and Cat Noir!!", someone shouted.

Looking up, everyone could see Paris' heroes standing on the school's roof. They hopped down and Cat Noir bowed courteously.

"May I have this dance, M'lady?", he asked as he kissed her hand.

"You certainly may."

The crowd dispersed, letting the heroes have the dance floor all to themselves.

"I guess the stakes are a lot higher now that we're together", Ladybug whispered as they danced. Cat Noir's face became very stern. "It doesn't matter. I'll protect you until the end. Hawkmoth will have to take me on himself before I let him get to you."

"Cat Noir... don't forget your own importance... to the people of Paris... to me. I can't bear the thought of anything happening to you."

"M'lady, I promise nothing will happen. We're an unstoppable team, remember? You said so yourself."

Ladybug smiled. "I love you."

"I love you, too, bugaboo."

The song ended and the crowd cheered and clapped for the heroes, Alya and Nino staring intently.

"Isn't it suspicious that they showed up right after Marinette and Adrien left?", the blogger asked her boyfriend.

"Dudette, it's _very_ suspicious. You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Definitely."

Ladybug and Cat Noir left, Marinette and Adrien returning a few minutes later. Alya and Nino stopped them at the door and shoved them back outside.

"Explanation. Now."

"Explanation for what?", Marinette asked nervously.

Their death glares could have cut the moon in half. Nino tipped his cap. "You dudes leave the dance, Ladybug and Cat Noir show up minutes later. Quite a coincidence, isn't it?"

Adrien rubbed the back of his head. "C-can we not talk about this here?"

"Fine."

 ***jump-cut to a different location***

"You guys got us, okay? I'm Ladybug."

"And I'm Cat Noir."

Alya and Nino's mouths were hanging open in pure disbelief, even though they had suspected it. The group had gone away from the school and were sitting on the steps beneath the Eiffel Tower.

Marinette rubbed her forehead and breathed a sigh of relief. "You don't know how hard it's been keeping this secret all year. I almost died whenever Alya said she was close to discovering Ladybug's true identity."

"Girl, if I had known it was you, I would have kept your secret. I promise."

"You don't understand, Alya. That would have made you an easy target for Hawkmoth. He would have used you to get to me."

"Well that doesn't explain why Adrien never told anybody", Nino butted in.

The model punched his arm. "Actually, it does. The same thing would have happened to you. Neither of us wanted to put anybody else in danger."

Alya twiddled her thumbs. "So I guess you already know that I'm Rena Rouge."

"And I'm Carapace."

"And Chloe's Queen Bee. There's no way we're telling her our identities, though", Marinette quickly added.

"So what? We're some kinda superhero squad?", Adrien joked, "They could make a TV show about us."

 **(Cheap 4th Wall Break: Check.)**

The four friends shared a good laugh before going their separate ways for the night.


	11. Chapter 10

Summer.

Adrien and Marinette spent a day at the pool before going to his place for dinner. After drying off and changing, the two teens sat down in the dining room to find Gabriel bringing out their plates.

"My apologies in advance for the quality of your meals. I'm not the best cook", the man said as he rubbed his now-bald head. Marinette looked at the plate and was pleasantly surprised. "Don't be too hard on yourself, Mr. Agreste. It looks fantastic."

Grade A Filet Mignon with fresh vegetables. Adrien had never seen his father even step foot in a kitchen, much less prepare such a fantastic meal.

Everyone ate like wolves.

After the dishes were taken care of, Gabriel leaned back in his chair and folded his hands in his lap.

"I... I have to tell you two something. Promise me you'll never tell anyone else."

The kids looked at each other in confusion.

"We promise."

Gabriel bit his lip, afraid of what they would say. He decided to just get it over with.

"I was Hawkmoth."

"WHAT?!?!?", Marinette and Adrien screamed.

"I wanted the power Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculous so I... so I could bring your mother back, Adrien. When I found out about my cancer, I also planned to use them to cure myself. After my last attempt, I gave up and decided to turn my life around. And that was the best choice I've ever made."

Adrien was nearly speechless. "Father... all this time... it was you."

"I can't begin to imagine what you think of me, son. I'm a poor excuse for a man, willing to harm so many just because of his own selfish desire to see his wife again. And poor Marinette, I'm sorry that you have to be involved in this. It must be a lot to handle."

"Mr. Agreste... I'm so sorry."

"Don't apologize to me, my dear. I should apologize to the people of Paris for all the trouble I've caused over the past year."

Adrien looked at his girlfriend. "Should we tell him?"

"I think we should."

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "Tell me what?"

There was nobody else in the room, so the two teens had no problem just coming out and telling the truth.

"I'm Cat Noir."

"And I'm Ladybug."

The elder Agreste froze. "You... Adrien... your ring?"

The boy nodded.

"And Marinette's earrings?"

"Yes, sir."

"I... I should have known. Well, it doesn't matter now. I've given up on that altogether."

Marinette suddenly got a crazy idea.

 ***jump-cut to Fu's parlor***

"I know it sounds crazy, Master, but I feel like it's the right thing to do."

"Crazy?!? It sounds borderline insane!!", Fu shouted as he stormed around the room. "You want to give Hawkmoth your Miraculous so he can cure his cancer?! What if he decides to use it for something else?!?"

Adrien suddenly became very assertive. "With all due respect, Master, my father's not Hawkmoth anymore. He told us himself he wants nothing more than to have as much time as possible."

Gabriel was standing in the back of the room, feeling guilty. "It's alright, kids. If he doesn't trust me, then we can just go."

Fu suddenly walked up to the man and merely stared up at him for a few seconds.

Then, he burst into laughter. Adrien looked back and forth between Marinette and his father, and all three of them were confused. Fu was on the floor crying.

"I can't believe you all thought I was serious!! Hahaha!!"

"Master, I don't get what you're saying", Marinette interjected.

Fu stood up and caught his breath. "Mr. Agreste more than proved his sincerity when he returned the Moth and Peafowl Miraculous to me. I'd say he deserves a second chance."

Gabriel's eyes lit up. "Thank you, sir. How can I ever repay you?"

"No need. Marinette, Adrien, whenever you're ready."

The teenage heroes gave Gabriel their jewels and he put them on, suddenly being encompassed in two rings of light, one pink and the other green. His mouth moved as if he was speaking, but nobody could hear him. When the rings disappeared, the designer returned the Miraculous to their holders.

"How do we know if it worked?", Adrien asked.

"I guess I'll have to return to the hospital for another examination. Thank you, Fu, for giving me this chance."

"Don't mention it. Good luck."

Two weeks passed, and Gabriel came home one day with his exam results.

His cancer was gone.

Let's just say a lot of father-son hugging was done that day.

 ***Time jump 7 years***

Adrien walked through the doors of his father's mansion- now his -and roamed the halls. When he had gone off to college, Gabriel had moved to Greece and kept the old place sealed up, leaving it ready for Adrien to fill in his position as the head of Agreste Fashion.

Much to the surprise of everyone, the former model was happy to take the job. As long as he had a certain someone as his design partner.

Marinette had gotten her design degree and jumped at the opportunity to work for Adrien.

"Mari, I don't want you to work _for_ me", he had told her over dinner one night, "I want to share the business with you."

She had dropped her fork. "R-really?"

Adrien smiled and clasped her hand. "Really."

That discussion had happened months ago, and now Adrien was moving his adult belongings into his childhood home.

 _Hopefully_ , he thought, _It won't be just me for too much longer._

After the movers had gotten everything inside, the young man made sure he was carrying one item in particular before running out the door.

Marinette had been staying with her parents in the weeks since graduation, having almost daily meetings with Adrien to discuss how they would handle the company. Even with all of the business talk, she was still waiting for him to ask a certain question.

And the anticipation was killing her.

"You think today will be the day, Tikki?"

"Marinette, you worry too much", the Kwami groaned, "Adrien loves you. He's probably just waiting for the right time."

Luckily, the right time was sooner than she thought. Adrien ran into the building and saw Tom and Sabine covered in flour. He had to hold his breath to keep from laughing.

"Hello, Adrien. Marinette's upstairs", the woman said with a smile as she dusted off her husband.

"Thank you, Mrs. Cheng."

 **(Okay, real talk for a sec. Anyone know why Marinette's last name is hyphenated as 'Dupain-Cheng', but her parents last names are different? Is there a deeper part of this story?!? Monsieur Astruc, this must be explained!!!)**

Adrien hopped up the stairs and took the ladder up to Marinette's trap door. He lightly knocked and said "Special delivery." The door swung up and the blonde found himself staring into two beautiful bluebell eyes.

"Nice of you to pop in."

"M'lady, you know I couldn't stay away too long."

He climbed inside and they sat on Marinette's bed.

"So I got moved in today."

"Yeah?", Marinette asked as she held his hand, "Just like you remember it?"

Adrien sighed obnoxiously. "A little big when it's just me... but I figured I could do something about that."

He pulled a small box out of his pocket and dropped to one knee, revealing an emerald on a gold band.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng, my love... will you make me the happiest cat on Earth and be my wife?"

Tears flooded into Marinette's eyes. All of her dreams were coming true. She was a soon-to-be professional fashion designer, a superhero, and was being proposed to by Adrien Agreste. All of her pent-up emotions were finally released in one word.

"Yes."

Adrien slid the ring onto her finger and stood up to kiss her. Both young adults were too wrapped up in each other to see their Kwamis watching from Marinette's desk.

"Ew. I hate all this mush!! It's gross", Plagg snarked.

Tikki whacked him in the face with her tail. "Two-week-old camembert is gross!! Love is beautiful!!"

"Hey!! Cheese is best when it's extremely ripe!! Trust me, sugarcube, love is not for me."

 ***Flashback***

While Adrien and Marinette were still in college, the Kwamis met up one day and made their way to Fu's parlor. The old man frowned when he saw them.

"Tikki? Plagg? What's wrong? Has something happened?"

"No, Master. Nothing is wrong. Everything is fantastic!!", Tikki responded, "But we were worried about something."

"What is it, Little Bug?"

Plagg answered, "Since Hawkmoth isn't a threat anymore, will you take us away from Adrien and Marinette?"

"We love them, Master. We don't want to leave them."

Fu smiled. "I had a feeling it would be the two of you. The Guardians always spoke of two Kwamis that would become attached to a particular dynasty of holders. It appears Adrien and Marinette are the start of that dynasty."

"What do you mean, Master?"

"My little Bug and Cat, I hereby assign you both a permanent bond to Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Adrien Agreste, and all of their descendants. May your powers be used for good for all time."

 ***Flash forward***

Tikki and Plagg's permanent bond to their holders practically ensured that the two humans would get married at some point. Now, here they were.

Marinette walked down the aisle, a bouquet of roses in-hand.

Adrien was sweating bullets until his best man- Nino, obviously -handed him a handkerchief.

"I got your back, man."

"Thanks."

Alya was the maid of honor, and she was crying.

"You go, girl", she whispered as her best friend stepped up to the altar.

Vows were said, rings were slipped on, and a bride was kissed.

The crowd clapped and whistled for the happy new couple, Gabriel standing next to Marinette's parents.

"Hopefully your daughter can make an honest man out of my son", he whispered to them.

"She doesn't need to. You made him a great man yourself, Gabriel", Tom replied.

The designer watched as his son carried his new wife out the doors of Notre Dame to their waiting car, smiling the whole time.

"I suppose you're right."

 **THE END**


End file.
